Pliers



Np. 611,537'. Patented, sept. 27, i898;

llrrn TATS CHARLES CALLDEVVELL WARD, OF FENDLTON, KENTUCKY.

PLIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 61 1,53'7, dated September 27, 1898.

Application led April 13, 1898.

To all whom t may concern."

Beit known that I, CHARLES CALLDEWELL WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pendleton, in the county of Henry and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pliers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pliers, and has for its object to generally improve, cheapen, and simplify their construction.

With this obj ect in view my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsv construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which v Figure l is a perspective View of a pair of pliers constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same with the cap-plate removed and the handles broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the inner end of the separable handle. Fig. et is a detail perspective view of the inner end of the separable jaw. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the combined handle and jaw. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the cap-plate.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the different figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A and B indicate the jaws of a pair of pliers, the jaw A being formed in one piece, with a handle C, and the jaw B and handle D being separable. The combined jaw and handle A C is composed of a single piece of metal, comprising the jaw itself and the handle, and the flat connecting-plate E forming part of the same piece of metal. This connecting-plate is about one-third as thick as the jaw or handle, and the jaw and handle are each recessed in their inner ends, as at A and C', on curved lines, forming parts of the circumference of the circle in the'shape of which plateI E is formed. The jaw B and handle D, as before stated, are in separate pieces, each being pro- Serial No. 677,418. (No model.)

vided with flanges, (marked B and D,) projecting, respectively, to the rear of the jaw and the front of the handle, these two flanges forming, when brought together edge to edge, a circle of the same size as' the circular connecting-plate E between the jaw A and handle C, and when in position these flanges rest upon the connecting-plate'E and within the recess formed between the inner curved end C of the handle C and the inner curved end A of the jaw A. The meeting edges of the flanges B and D are reversely S-shaped, as at B and D", so that they will snugly fit each other when in place. The flanges are all about the same thickness as the connecting- `plaie E, being about one-third the thickness line, of the same size as the connecting-plate j E and of aboutl the same thickness, being about one-third the thickness of the jaws or handles. l

In the connecting-plate E are provided two round holes G and G,on opposite sides thereof and equidistant from the center ofthe plate. Similar round holes I-I and Hf are formed in the`capplate F, and slots I andI, formed, respectively, inthe flanges B' and D', register with the holes in the plate E and cap-plate F when the parts' are assembled, as shown inA Fig. l.

Screws or bolts J J',iitted through the holes and slots as aforesaid, serve to secure the jaws and handles together, the slots permitting of a limited movement'of the jaws and handles upon each other, the screws beingsecurely held inthe round holes of theplate E and cap F and passing through the slots in the anges B and D', the cap-plate F being held from turning with the screws by means of lugs or points K K', which t in notches L L' in the inner ends of the handle C and jaw A, respectively.

It will be observed that the jawA, handle C, connecting-plate E, and cap F, when the cap is in position thereon,together form one of the jaws and handles of the usual form of IOO pliers. The jaw B, flanges B and D', and handle if secured together in their proper positions would form the other handle and jaw of the ordinary pliers, the latter handle and jaw being usually passed through the opening in the first-described jaw after the opening has been distended while hot and secured therein by closing the distended opening.

The advantage of my method and construction of pliers will be readily apparent to any one skilled in the art. All of the parts of my pliers may be accurately made to fit so closely together that their movement will be as accurate and reliable as though both jaws and handles were solid, as is jawA and handle C, and all of the parts are as securely held together as though made of only two pieces, as is usual in the manufacture of pliers. In my method of manufacture the necessity of heating and distending the opening, closing it again upon the inserted jaw, finishing up, reheating and tempering are all dispensed with, and the parts of the pliers may be formed by casting in steel or by drop-forging in dies in so accurate a manner as to require but very little finishing. The parts can be assembled and secured together by unskilled labor, and any broken part may be replaced at a very inconsiderable expense.

. While I have illustrated and described what I now consider eiiicient means for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact details of construction shown and described, but hold that such slight chan ges or variations as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fall Within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, .and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A pair of pliers consisting of a handle and jaw made of one piece, recessed between the inner ends of the handle and the jaw and leaving a connecting-plate of about one-third the thickness of the handle or jaw, a second handle and jaw, in separate pieces, provided with centrally-located iianges on their inner ends of a shape and size, when brought t0- gether edge to edge, to lill the recess between the xed jaw and handle, and a cap-plate of about one-third the thickness of the jaws and handles adapted to be secured in position upon the top of the matched flanges of the separated jaw and handle, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the jaw A and handle C, made in one piece and connected by the plate E, of the jaw B and handle D, made separate and provided with the centrally-located langes B and D', adapted to fit together and iill the recess between the jaw A and handle C, and the cap-plate F adapted to fit over the matched iianges and fill the balance of the space in the recess between the jaw A and handle C, substantially as described.

CHARLES CALLDEWELL WARD.

Witnesses:

S. J. DAUTHITT, L. K. SMITH. 

